Trusting You With All My Soul
by fourfourbeat
Summary: There's this masquerade ball and Ginny and Draco fall in love. They continue to meet in secret and hide their identities, both afraid of the consequences
1. Masquerades and Matts

Disclaimer: I don't own (sadly) the Harry Potter series, characters, etc. Although if I was older and thought of this idea before JKRowling I would have...

Summary: There's a masquerade ball and Ginny and Draco fall in love. They have to meet in secret, hiding their identities, afraid of the consequences if they show their true faces.

* * *

Chapter 1 Masquerades and Matts 

"Ugh...can you believe it? We have to go to a bloody ball. Hey, bloody ball. That's pretty clever, eh?" Ron said, holding up a flyer for the Hogwarts Beginning Ball.

"It sounds pretty exciting to me...it's a masquerade, so we might fall in love with someone that's completely fascinating behind his mask, but he might be a Hufflepuff. Or worse Slytherin," Hermione stated with a dreamy look in her eyes.

Harry and Ron gaped at her.

Or **her** mask. Sorry, I'm thinking about myself only again aren't I? Oh God I just said that out loud. You did **not** hear anything I said, okay? Okay? Forget everything I just said!" she said, all in one breath and blushing.

"As if we were actually going to this mas...mas...what did you say?" Harry responded.

"Masquerade Harry. You guys seriously need to expand your vocabulary..." Hermione said exasperatingly.

"Whatever. The thing is, we're not going to this ball because balls are for babies. Hey, balls are for babies! That's pretty clever too, eh?"

"That **is** pretty clever...not!" Harry joked.

"You're just jealous because you can't come up with any clever quotes. Hey, clever quotes, that sounds…clever."

"You have **got** to be kidding…"

"But guys, this masquerade is mandatory! It's an exam grade for…Transfiguration and Defense Against the Dark Arts? How queer. No matter, we have to go. Now, I'm going upstairs to decide what mask I'm going to wear…" Hermione finished, leaving the boys to quarrel about their silly matter about clever quotes and flounced upstairs to tell the other girls.

A couple of the girls were busy reading Teen Fiction Romance Comedy Novels when Hermione burst in.

"Emagawd! Check this out! We're having a mandatory masquerade ball for an exam grade!" she squealed.

"Really? What subject?"

"You won't believe this: DADA and Transfiguration."

"No way! Wait, what does dancing in masks have to do with those classes?"

"Never mind that! I hope it's going to be romantic!"

"I hope my date is a mysterious man who turns out to be like Matt!"

Suddenly all the girls except for Hermione (because she wasn't reading the silly novels) shrieked like crazy.

"Um…who the heck is Matt?"

"Emagawd you don't know who Matt is?"

"Don't contradict me, I just want to know!" Hermione cried, muttering to herself, "Like I would be caught reading those books…"

"She's right, she deserves to know, she got us these books for Christmas last year. Matt," Parvati, who was sitting on her bed, swerved her body so that she was Hermione, "is one of the major characters in this book, 'I'm a Girl in an All Boys Boarding School!' and the main character Jamie was admitted to an all boys boarding school while her parents leave for the year on a 'business trip.' But they didn't know the school was boys only until Jamie told them once she was admitted. Anyways, she has to share a room with this guy Matt. He's HOT! He did a commercial for Gatorade and a modeling shoot for Guess. They argue a lot but secretly love each other. Then they sign up for this pen pal thing and it just so happens they get each other. They email one another for weeks and decide to meet up. When they finally meet, Jamie becomes overcome with fear and starts crying emotionally and Matt holds her in this strong arms…well…you know the rest…" Everyone sighed dramatically.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go get our Matt!" Angelina cried, and all the girls cheered and ran for their trunks.

"Hermione, when is this thing?" Alicia hollered, head buried in trunk, throwing random things out.

"Saturday..."

"Oh hell! That only gives us four days to get ready!" Lavender panicked.

"Don't worry, I think we have a Hogsmeade trip tomorrow!" Hermione said, digging through her own trunk.

"Lemme go check!" cried Alicia, sliding down the banister so fast you'd think she'd burn her butt off.

"Quick everyone, dig through Alicia's stuff, she's bound to have clothes! Hurry, hurry, before she comes back!" Katie cried.

The girls clamored over to Alicia's trunk and looked for clothes like savages (sadly pathetic) and stopped occasionally to listen for her return.

"Wow, why doesn't she just wear this..."

"Why does she have this skimpy...shit! She's coming back!"

Everyone scrambled back to their own trunks, not daring to take anything because Alicia was famous for her short temper and hawk eyes.

Alicia ran up. "Yes...there's...one...tomorrow...after potions..." she panted.

"Emagawd Alicia! Look at your freaking butt!"

"What? Damn it! This is my Dolce & Gabanna skirt!"

"I can fix it for you. Wear it backwards when I'm done and it will turn from trashy to classy!" Hermione said. "Now go change."

"Oh would you? Thanks soooo much!" Alicia called over her shoulder. She was a bit preoccupied trying to run for the bathroom and change out of her skirt at the same time. No luck, she caught her skirt in her heel and stumbled.

In 10 seconds flat Alicia came out wearing a pair of Mudd jeans. You can fix this right?" Alicia questioned worriedly.

"Don't be so dramatic, I can handle this!" she answered, rummaging through her trunk for accessories and sewing items.

"I'll be back!" she said, in a half girly, half Terminator voice.

* * *

"Women..." muttered Ron as he and Harry watched Hermione rush up the stairs. "Every single little gathering comes up and they ahve to go and giggle about it for hours. I just don't understand." 

"Tell me about it," Harry said, as they walked out of the Gryffindor common room to head for the Quidditch field. "Women are so complicated. You need a manual to understand them."

"And you need 3 manuals to understand men!" giggled Pansy and her posse as they walked passed them.

"Pansy alone needs 10 manuals, she's so retarded, not really of course, but she doesn't know what the hell she's talking about half the time..." drawled Malfoy, followed by his usual crowd, Crabbe and Goyle.

"We don't want to fight Malfoy," Ron started.

"I know, neither do we. This isn't a fight between houses but but between sexes."

"Huh?" Harry and Ron said simultaneously.

Malfoy impatiently sighed. "Don't the girls in Gryffindor giggle about the ball too?"

"Oh. OH. Yeah, so?"

"Aren't you tired of them doing that?"

"Definitely!" cried a voice from behind them.

Fred, Geroge, and Lee were appraching, and boy, did they look mad.

"I told Angelina to stop gibbering about the ball when she could just go with me and she says, 'Why would I bother going with you when I'm going to dance with my Matt.' What the hell does that mean?" Fred said, turning red with embarressment and humiliation.

"I don't know, but I also don't care. You think that's bad? I heard about Alicia's problem and I told her I'd buy her a new skirt and she snaps back and says, 'One, Hermione is fixing my skirt. Two, no guy could possibly buy me a skirt that values up to D & G. And three, stop trying to suck up to me so we can go to the' mas...mas.."

"Masquerade," Harry miserably said.

"Right. Anyways, '...so we can go to the masquerade togther 'cause I'm going to find my Matt."

"Who the hell is Matt?" Lee muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"I don't know, maybe a stupid guy in those stupid books they read," Malfoy said disgustedly.

"Actually they're called teen fiction romance comedy novels," Ron said.

"What?" Fred, George, and Harry said.

"Wait, how do **you** know this, Ronald?" Fred asked.

"I saw one of Ginny's copies, but it's not like I read it! It's a romance novel for crying out loud!" Ron cried, blushing.

"That's not the point! The point is that we have to show those girls that they don't need an imaginary Matt when they got us!" Draco said.

"I have an idea!" shouted Lee. "Why don't why raid the girls dorms and chuck out all those books so they can forget about their stupid Mark!" Lee pumped a fist in the air.

"That's bloody brilliant except the fact that his name is Matt you idiot..." Fred hissed as swift footsteps approached them.

"**I **have an idea. Why don't you boys go back to your common rooms and write me an essay on how to transfigure liquid. Two scrolls due Monday. I'll see you later, now shoo!" Professor McGonagall said. She had heard them squabbling, and thought it best to keep their minds busy with extra homework and the festivities.

* * *

"Hermione...when are you going to give up on SPEW?" Ron said.

The three of them were in the common room and Ron and Harry were trying to do their homework, while Hermione was knitting.

Suddenly, Hermione threw the knitting down furiously. "Ron, for the last time it is **NOT **SPEW! It's S.P.E.W...wait. That's brilliant Ron! I have the greatest idea! Just you wait, I'm going..."

"To the library, we know, we know," Harry said, bored.

"**Actually**, what I was **going** to say before I was **rudely** interrupted," she shot a glare at Harry. "I'm going to see Dumbledore. Bye!"

When Hermione left, Ron looked at Harry. Harry said, "What was that all about?"

"Who knows, but we have to work on our extra Transfiguration homework."

Ron looked down at his paper, then back up at Harry, who had fallen asleep.

"Good idea mate. This thing **is** due on Monday." And Ron fell asleep.

* * *

Hope you guys liked it, sorry it took forever, because I typed it up on a floppy disk on my really old laptop and then I tried to transfer it to the main computer, the only computer in my entire freaking house that has internet access, and it wouldn't make the transaction, so I had to type the whole thing up again on the main computer. Life sucks...or as my friend maddie would say...school bites, so bite back...or something like that. read her stories, they're really good. i think she's under the name **poke-the-sleeping-dragon **now...don't forget to review!


	2. CARE & OCO

Disclaimer: I don't own (sadly) the Harry Potter series, characters, etc. Although if I was older and thought of this idea before JKRowling I would have...

Summary: There's a masquerade ball and Ginny and Draco fall in love. They have to meet in secret, hiding their identities, afraid of the consequences if they show their true faces.

* * *

**Chapter II C.A.R.E. & O.C.O.**

Ron woke up. He checked the clock. "3 o'clock...A.M. Good, I can read in peace and quiet," he said, and quietly walked up the stairs to the boys dormitories.

Rummaging through his trunk, he finally found what he was looking for. A Teen Fiction Romance Comedy Novel, "My Cupid's Cuter Than Yours." He bought three or four to give to Ginny for Christmas, but hey, Christmas was at least 3 months away. Might as well read them and see why all the girls are raving about them. It might help him get a date for this ball thing too.

"...so, Professor Dumbledore, instead of just supporting House Elves, we can support all under appreciated and abused creatures. Except, I don't know what I would call the organization..."Hermione trailed off.

"Hmm...so this time it's an organization instead of a club. Very wise and sophisticated. You are quite the cosmopolitan businessperson the Muggles need," Dumbledore said, stroking his chin in deep thought.

"Why thank you Professor. Now, a name..."

"How about S.U.A.C.S.?"

"Whaaaa?"

"Support Under appreciated and Abused Creatures Society?"

"No...it's very clever Professor, but SUACS is worse than SPEW..."

"I see...C.A.R.E. & O.C.O.?

"What does that stand for?"

"Care for All Ruined Elves and Other Creatures Organization," Dumbledore said, pausing between words, trying to remember what each word stood for.

"That's wonderful Headmaster! You truly are a miracle worker! That's why you're head. You care about these kind of things and you take charge and you help the cause! Thank you so much! I'm going to start working on some promotional things..."Hermione said, and left to start her new project.

On her way back, Hermione was muttering to herself all the things she could do to start off C.A.R.E. & O.C.O. when she stumbled over a thick paper rectangle.

"...And I could possibly make banners...OOMPH! Hey, what's this?" she said, picking up the thing.

"'Romance in Rome, Pain in Paris.' Sounds interesting,"

A few minutes later, she arrived at the Gryffindor Portrait Hole. "Password, Hermione?" the Fat Lady said.

"Double S," Hermione wearily answered.

The portrait swung open.

"Who made up that password?"

"I believe it was Fred and George."

"I'm quite frightened to ask what it stands for."

"'Slytherins Suck' I think...somewhat like that..."

"Figures. Oh, by the way, would you be able to help me advertise my new organization? Oh no, don't worry," she rushed as the Fat Lady wrinkled her nose, "it's not something outrageously silly like SPEW. It's much more complex, it's a real organization, not like the silly club I had. In fact, Dumbledore is standing behind me all the way. So whaddaya say?"

"I'd love to, but now is not the time to discuss matters such as these. It's about 4 in the morning. Good thing you don't have classes tomorrow. Or would it be today? No matter. In you go, pumpkin."

"Thanks, but actually I have potions before we go to Hogsmeade..."

Hermione took two steps into the common room and stopped dead in her tracks at what she saw.

Ron was cuddled up in the armchair closest to the fireplace, and reading a book. A book with a big heart on the cover.

"Ron? Are you reading what I think you're reading?" Hermione whispered.

"Hermione! It's not what you think! I got some of these books for Ginny for Christmas, I was bored, I'm reading them for the heck of it! I'm not gay, you know..." he rushed.

"Ron! I know you're not gay. You're the one who let me read your diary..."

"JOURNAL!"

"Whatever. You let me read it and you put 'I love so-and-so...' some girl's name for sure."

There was a moment of silence.

"Don't mention this to the guys. They'd humiliate me to death," Ron said feebly.

"Of course not. What are friends for? Hopefully your vocabulary is advanced enough for such a word. Of course, we could always look in the library..."

All of a sudden, Harry tossed and turned in his sleep, mumbling, "NO! Not the library! Never!" and dozed back asleep.

After a few seconds Hermione and Ron started cracking up.

"I didn't know he hated the library that much!" Hermione said, choking with tears of laughter on her face.

"Neither did I, mate! Oh, look, it's 5 o' clock. Better get ready for Quidditch practice..."

"This early?"

"No, but I might want to practice by myself for a while. Before the game on Sunday..."

"Right! I'll be upstairs, looking for..."

"Lemme guess. Hm...a mask to wear to the ball?"

"NO! But good idea. I was...nevermind! You'll see soon!" she said, and bounded upstairs with, Ron just realized, a book and a box. _Wonder what they're for?_

Hermione flung her things next to her bed and plopped into it. _How am I possibly going to catch up on my sleep? I need sleep, but I'm so excited about C.A.R.E. & O.C.O. and the masquerade. How can I possibly..._ she dozed off...

Ginny looks up from her book. She was reading in bed. "So she's finally back. Wonder what she's been doing all night," she whispers to herself. Shrugging, she returns back to her book, 'Tammy Gets Kissed.'

* * *

"Hermione! Come on! You are such a lazy sleepy blob! It's already 9:00 and breakfast is going to be over at 9:30 and I'm sooooo not waiting till 9:29 for you to wake up. So wake up NOW!" Angelina said, yanking Hermione's blanket off the bed.

"Wouldn't it be easier..." Ginny started.

"Hermione! Hermione! Hermione!"

"I have a solution..."

"Wake up you Bi-atch!"

"WAIT!" Ginny hollered. Angelina stopped shaking Hermione and looked at Ginny.

"Why don't give her an awakening potion?" Ginny said sarcastically.

"Gee, why didn't I think of that?" Angelina said, rolling her eyes. "It's not like it'll work."

"Give it a try. It's not like she's going to drop dead if we give it to her."

"Ginny's right Angie, just try the damn thing and stop bickering. You could drive anyone up the Astrology Tower, for Matt's sake," Alicia said.

"Matt's sake? Since when have we replaced Pete and God with Matt?" Parvati said, making a face.

"Whoops, my bad. It's not like I did it on purpose. I guess we've...I've been a little over obsessed about this masquerade-Matt thing..."

"Whatever. Ginny, grab me the awakening."

A few seconds after Angelina gave Hermione the potion, what do you know? Hermione woke up.

Ginny stuck her tongue out at Angelina. "See, I told you so. God I'm sooooo underappreciated..."

* * *

Don't blame me for all the small chapters, I'm a newbie, so I really don't understand some of the internet chat / fanfic lingo so plz help me out! Please review!


	3. Potions Class

**Chapter III Potions Class**

"Now for those of you are actually literate, read the board for instructions on how to make an Ailing Potion," Snape drawled, pointing towards the chalkboard behind him with his wand.

"What kind of teacher insults his students?" Ron furiously whispered.

"Him!" Hermione snapped back before Snape had turned around.

"Silence! For those who want to live to see Hogsmeade today after my class, I suggest you shut those holes you call mouths and work on the assignment." Snape smiled grimly.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione groaned silently to themselves, and started working.

A few minutes later, Professor Snape stopped the class. "Now, for those who have finished step four, your concoction should be a clear shade of azure. For those of you who have the brain of a coconut, azure is the color of the sky."

Hermione smiled bravely. She knew something that Professor didn't. He forgot to mention that the color is not important at all, just as long as it's a shade of blue or purple. The most important thing was as long as the potion isn't bubbling.

Harry looked down sullenly. The liquid in his cauldron was indigo, at least. He took a quick peek at Ron's cauldron, which to his relief was a shade of violet. Snape turned his head and glared at him. Harry looked down at his feet.

When he was certain that Snape had stopped looking at him, he looked over to Hermione's. Azure. _Go figure._ He suddenly looked up at her face and saw that she was smiling to herself. _Wonder what's that all about?_

"Turn in your flasks so I can severely grade them all. Put your name, NOT nickname..." he said, suddenly staring at Dean, "and put them on my desk."

Soon everyone, with the help of Hermione, had finished putting their things together, and were dismissed from class.

"Hermione, why were you smiling to yourself?" Harry asked, and at the same time Ron said, "So what's the deal Hermione?"

"What?"

"Let me go first Ron..."

"Sure..."

"Why were you smiling to yourself in Potions?"

"Oh, it was a wonderful thing. But first, Harry, what color was your potion. DON'T lie. I can, and always will be, able to tell."

"Innigo..."

"What?"

"Indigo," he mumbled.

"Okay, what about you Ron?

"Violet, isn't that horrible?"

"No, actually it's perfect! Professor Snape obviously hasn't read 'Tips to Perfect Potions.' Here," she said, pulling a book out of her bag, "it says, 'The Ailing Potion is perfect at nonbubbling and clear azure, but any shade of blue or purple will do.' See, you might get points off for not having 'the perfect potion' but you'll definitely end up with at least an A. Maybe even an E..."

"Well, that definitely makes my day better," Ron said skeptically.

"Fine, next time you can do your entire potion by yourself and end up with a T!"

"T?"

"Yeah, T. As in Troll..."

The three of them started laughing as they climbed up the stairs to the Gryffindor Portrait Hole.

"Password?"

"Um..." Harry and Ron mumbled.

"Double S," Hermione said unconsciously.

"In you go children."

"How did you know what the password is?" Ron asked her.

"What are you talking about?"

"Didn't Fred and George make that one up?"

"Yeah..."

"I've been dying to know what it stands for. I've some hunches, but they aren't very good. Knowing Fred and George, it's probably something real complex. But it figures that you would know..."

"Really? Tell me your hunches..." Hermione said, smiling interestingly.

"Okay...well I kinda thought about Super Savvy..."

Hermione cracked up. "Is that the best you could think of?"

"NO! There is Snape Slytherin...and um...Snape Stinks...oh yeah Slytherin Stinks...Super Star?"

Hermione was practically dying of laughter.

"Well, for you information, you aren't really helping us figure this out..." Harry said accusingly.

"Lemme just tell you guys okay? It be soooo much easier to do that instead of hearing all the silly stuff you've been saying."

"Oooh! Oooh! Oooh!" Ron shouted like a monkey. "Is it Silly Stuff?"

"No, now do you want me to tell you or not?"

"Tell..."

"It's Slytherins Suck."

"That's so original. How did you know?"

" 'Member that night where I went to see Dumbledore? I came back really late and the Fat Lady told me. We had a nice conversation, I guess..."

"What the hell were you doing so late at night?" Ginny said, dropping her bag, which accidentally landed on Harry's foot with a loud thud.

"Omi-freakin-god! What do you have in there?"

"Sorry!" she said sheepishly. " Potion book, scrolls, quills, ink, um...6 teen fiction romance comedy books..."

"6?"

"Got a problem?"

"No..."

"Ginny...don't say hell..." Ron scolded.

"Excuse moi France monsieur! So, Hermione, what were you doing?"

Ron stared at his sister. "When did you learn French?"

"Since Mom taught me. You didn't know we were French? How sad.."

The four of them walked out of the common room to the Hogwarts Express.

"I decided to give up on SPEW..."

"S.P.E.W.!" Ron said.

"Whatever. I came up with a better solution. C.A.R.E. & O.C.O.!"

"What?" Harry asked.

"Care for All Ruined Elves & Other Creatures Organization. Isn't that clever?" she said, turning towards Ron with a smile.

Ron groaned.

"I'm not going to waste my time anymore making silly buttons and hats. I'm going to start a support system. You can pick an abused and/or underappreciated creature and send money to them every month, minimum of 2 sickles."

"2 sickles? Is that it?"

"Yes, unless you want to send more..."

"That's a great idea Hermione. I think I might give it a go..." Ginny said thoughtfully.

"Well I think it's a stupid idea," Malfoy said, coming up from behind them.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'm saying that why bother sending sickles to dumb creatures if the weasels can't even afford their own home?"

"Shut up you stupid ass!" Ginny raged

"Ginny!"

"What? You do it all the time!"

"Well..." Ron became flustered. "I don't want you to because you're a girl, and I'm your closest brother. Do you want Mum to give both of us a Howler?"

"You aren't the boss of me!"

"I'm OLDER!"

"But everyone else in the family is older than YOU! I'm 14 for freakin god's sake!" Ginny shouted, then quickly kneeling down, muttering, "God, please forgive me for using your name in vain, grant me patience, and help me win this argument."

"But Gin! I'm older than you! I'm supposed to protect you from this!"

"Well you aren't doing a very good job, now are you?"

"Whatever!"

"Weasels can't even afford to stop arguing..." Malfoy smiled.

The next moment, Malfoy was knocked out cold with a bloody nose and bruised eye, while Ginny was fuming, fists up, ready for more action.

"Don't you dare say that you son of a --" Ginny started, when Ron stomped on her foot.

"Bi--ooowww! I mean...son of a...Slytherin?" Ginny uncertainly looked at Ron, who nodded in approval.

"Um...Ginny, you knocked him out."

"Is he dead!" Ginny happily asked, lightening up.

"Umm...no," Harry said.

"Aarrgh!"

"Come on Ginny, we'll get him to the hospital wing. First let me..._Fight gora brusindium_!" Hermione said, pointing her wand at Ginny, who now looked 3 times worse than Malfoy.

"Woah, when did you learn that?" Ron said, impressed.

"Fred and George. It's part of the stuff they put in those Skiving Snackboxes," she said, dragging Malfoy along with Ginny.


	4. Gossip, Drake, and Ginger

**Disclaimer: I don't own (sadly) the Harry Potter series, characters, etc. Although if I was older and thought of this idea before JKRowling I would have...**

**Summary: There's a masquerade ball and Ginny and Draco fall in love. They have to meet in secret, hiding their identities, afraid of the consequences if they show their true faces.

* * *

**

**Chapter IV Gossip, Drake, and Ginger**

"So what mask did you get?" Katie asked Hermione. Tonight was the ball, and everyone (well, the girls at least) was getting ready.

"Well, it's blue and green with white and gold wings on the side! Here, wait, I'll get it..." she said, skipping through the throngs of dresses and shoes scattered everywhere on the floor.

"This is mine," Ginny said, holding up a red mask with two chrysanthemums around the eyes.

"Emagawd! That is so ah-dor-able! It goes great with your temporary chestnut colored hair!" Angelina squealed.

"I like my hair this way. You think I should dye it permanently?" Ginny questioned, looking at her hair admirably in the mirror.

"NO! It's nice, but your red hair is the real Ginny. Right now, you're like...a Maria or something..."

"What about your dress? And your shoes? Put them on, I'll put the mask on for you when you come out!" Lavender responded.

"Okay, okay, hold up..."

Hermione rushed back in just as Ginny was leaving to change, and they almost ran into each other.

"SORRY!" they hollered over their shoulders.

"Look!" Hermione put the mask over her face.

"Emagawd it's almost like Parvati's! Here P, put yours on!" Alicia said.

"Where is it?" Parvati asked.

"Um..." Alicia mumbled, and the two girls started tossing dresses and shoes and masks up in the air trying to find the missing mask.

"Found it!" Katie said, holding up the mask, which was right next to Parvati's dress and shoes.

"Oh...heh...thanks..."

Parvati's mask had orange and pink wings and the rest of the mask was white.

"We could go together as twins Hermy!" Parvati sarcastically said in a joking fashion.

Hermione just rolled her eyes, and everyone laughed, including Ginny, who had come out of the bathroom at the point where Parvati called Hermione 'Hermy.'

Parvati turned her head and gasped. Ginny's dress was knee-high with red silk and lace with off-the-shoulders sleeves. She took a step forward, and everyone looked at her red lace-up high heels.

"You look absolutely gorgeous!" shrieked Parvati.

"Talk about lady in red!"

"Hey Hermy...I mean Hermione, sorry, go change into your dress!" Angelina said.

"Sure..."

As soon as Hermione let, Harry and Ron rushed upstairs.

"Katie, Alicia, Angelina, and Ginny! Quidditch practice today at...woah! Ginny, you look...nice..." Ron fumbled.

"Are you kidding Ron! Your sister is hot! Like a goddess..." Katie said.

"Like a sex goddess..." Angelina teased, and Alicia laughed, followed by giggles of all the other girls.

"Shut up!" Ginny said, turning as red as her outfit.

"Well, it's true! Hey, what do **you** think Harry?"

"I...agree?" Harry mumbled.

"No, in your own words. The truth!" Alicia pushed.

"She...um...looks...really beautiful," Harry said blushingly.

"Ginny, who was looking out the window, turned to face Harry and smiled. "Thanks Harry!" she said. There was an awkward silence.

"Yeah well, Quidditch practice today at 3 okay? Gotta go!" Ron rushed, and grabbing Harry's shirt, ran down the steps.

* * *

When they were in the boy dorms, Ron and Harry looked at each other stunned. Ron plopped into his bed and buried his face in his hands. Harry ran his hands through his hair. "Ron, I...I don't know what to say. Ginny...she's...she's..."

"I know. I never would have thought..."

"It's not your fault Ron. She's your only sister..."

"What if the other guys..."

Suddenly Fred, George, and Lee walked in. "So," Fred said, "have you guys seen Ginny?"

Harry and Ron nodded their heads in silence.

"Yeah...shocking isn't it? We didn't even think she could be such a girly girl, ya know? She's always been a tomboy. Well, that's what you get when you have no sisters and 6 brothers. She's really grown up," said George.

"But what if the other guys try to..." Ron gulped, "hurt her?"

"Fred and I have been thinking the same thing. We've decided that Gin's old enough and experienced enough to look out for herself. After all, she's 14..."

Dean and Seamus burst into the room. "Ron! Your sister is a hot babe! Can I take her to the ball?" Dean asked.

"No way! She's going with me!" cried Seamus.

I'm not going with either one of you dorks!" Ginny said.

Everyone turned towards the door, where Ginny had entered, wearing her Quidditch uniform.

"No one's asked me yet, but I'm **not** going with either of you two!"

"Why not?" they whined.

"Because Seamus, you're perverted. Dean, you have a girlfriend."

"She doesn't have to be my girlfriend anymore," Dean answered.

Ginny just rolled her eyes in disgust.

"What if **I** take you?" Ron asked.

"Uhh...you're my brother. NO. Harry?"

"B-but you don't like me!"

"DUH! But you probably don't have a date. Am I right?" she grinned.

Harry hung his head.

"Okay it's settled! Ron, you are going with Hermione; Fred, you're going with Katie; George, you're with Angelina; and Lee's with Alicia. No, wait... Fred's going with Alicia and Lee is going with Katie. Okay! See you tonight!" she stated, and quickly left.

* * *

Harry patiently waited at the foot of the main hall staircase for Ginny, along with just about every other boy in Hogwarts. Suddenly, feminine voices were heard from the top of the stairs. Many "I'm not going first!" could be heard, followed by squeals and shrieks. Then, one familiar voice cried out tiredly, "It's not that big of a deal! Look, I'll go first!"

The boys hopefully looked up, waiting anxiously for their dates.

Ginny Weasley was walking down the steps delicately, looking for Harry's face, which was not covered by a mask (yet). Finding it, she hastened her steps. Many boys whistled and hooted, while Ginny thought, _We **had **__to come down **this** staircase, the **longest** one in the castle..._

Two steps from the ground floor, Ginny jumped them and landed with a perfect stance. The boys who were making those idiotic noises stopped in shock. Ginny smirked, smoothed out her already-smoothed-out dress, looked at Harry, and asked, "Shall we go?"

A dozen or so boys ran up to her and said, "Bloody hell yes!"

Ginny looked them over, wrinkled her nose in disgust as Harry laughed, and took Harry's hand. "Too bad mate, she's mine tonight. Try next year or something..." Harry said.

The ball was outdoors in the beginning, and after dinner, inside, for more dancing. As Ginny and Harry walked towards the gardens where the ball was taking place, they had an interesting "dispute" over Hermione's new organization. (Harry thought it would go down the toilet like the one before, but Gin believed that Hermione was much more mature than before, and she knew what she was doing, and besides, Dumbledore believes in her, why can't you?) They took twice as long as most people to get to the ball, due to stopping every now and then and arguing to a higher altitude.

When they arrived, Ron and Hermione greeted them. Immediately Hermione and Ginny left the "men" to talk about anonymous girl things, such as their gorgeous outfits and things such as that.

Ginny dragged Hermione to an empty table and the gossip mill began to run.

"Omigod, can you believe the outfit Pansy has on?"

"I know, it's not even a dress, it's like an Arabian outfit that's two sizes too small..."

" Can you believe her?"

"It doesn't even match..."

"Green and purple clash..."

"Is she color blind?"

"Oh look, Luna's here..."

"Omigod, she's gorgeous!"

"It's sooo pretty!"

"What's so pretty? 411 people..." Angelina whispered as she slid into an empty chair.

"Luna! Her outfit is exactly her name! All, lunar, you know?"

"Totally, good thing I let her borrow my TanTowel..."

"She doesn't look so pale anymore..."

"Yeah, wonder why?" responded Katie, who slid into another empty chair.

"I told you, I let her borrow my TanTowel..."

"Hey, I wasn't here...ugh...look it's Cho Chang..."

"Salmon Pink? With an updo? Yuck..."

"Really, that color and hairstyle totally messes up her complexion..."

"Yeah...but look who she's with!"

"Who is with who?" Alicia hissed, sliding into the last empty chair.

"Cho Chang...she's with..."

"Flint? That's just wrong..."

"No one in their right mind would go with him..."

"Maybe she's drugged?"

"Are you kidding!"

"Sure...what kind of idiot wears an orange bow tie with a black tuxedo?"

"Flint?"

"Duh..."

"I'm going to get something to drink. Anyone..." Ginny said, starting to stand up.

"We're good!" said everyone, who went back gossiping.

Ginny walked to the refreshment stand, and every boy she passed followed her with their eyes, especially Malfoy.

Ginny started to pour herself some tea when Draco walked up to her and offered to pour some for her. Ginny said sure, since Draco's mask had covered his hair (and you can't miss that really bright blonde hair, you know?). He handed it to her, and the two of them starting talking, simply about life in general.

"What's your name?" Ginny shyly asked.

"Drac...Drake. And yours?"

"Gin...Gin...Ginger. Sorry, I was in a bit of daydreaming..."

"Ginger. That's a beautiful name---"

"I've never heard of you..." Ginny/Ginger interrupted.

"I've never heard of you either..." Draco/Drake accusingly responded.

"I'm not around much...I tend to be by myself. What's your excuse?"

"Same, pretty much..."

"That's what most people say..."

"Well, I can only give you the truth..."

"Than stop beating around the bush and give already!" Ginny/Ginger smirked.

"She got you there, buddy. May I inquire your names?" a voice interfered. Ginny gasped, it was Ron! He was going to totally blow her cover!

"So, Gin, are you going to introduce me?"

Ginny/Ginger breathed a sigh of relief. He called her by her nickname.

Draco/Drake asked Ron, "You know her?"

"Yeah...she's my..." Ron started, but was cut off by Ginny/Ginger, who quickly said, "Ron this is Drake, Drake, meet Ron, Ron's an acquaintance of mine, but I really must go or I'll miss dinner! Good night!" She then rushed off.

* * *

**I promise there'll be some action in the next chapter. I'm trying to stretch everything so my story isn't 10 chapters, ya know? thanks!**


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